Asphalt Therapy

my head

it loves to go for runs.
because it loves the chance to think.
to have long conversations with myself.

and every time i feel surprised.
i never realized how badly we needed to talk.


Years ago, I found this poem as a magazine page cutout on someone's bulletin board. It seems so simple, and it's quick to skim over. But the words hold so much meaning. And it holds completely true.

This morning, I went for a run. Which isn't horribly surprising news. But what's important to note is that the run was hard. Really hard.

I'm not that person who just loves to run and thinks it feels so great and can't imagine my life without it, etc. No. I'm not that girl. It's a struggle for me. Some days, it's a struggle to make myself go right up until the point I hit the start button on my watch. And a lot of times, it feels hard for most of my run. I don't get a runner's high or catch my second wind. But what is fantastic is how I feel afterward. The rest of my day is better and more clear and happier. Running makes my mind relax, which is crucial for someone like me whose brain is always racing and pacing. Running helps me think of creative ways to tackle life's problems. Running gives me one on one time with nature and the beauty of the earth. Running makes me happy for how it makes me feel on the inside. It's my own personal therapy out there on the pavement.

And, for that reason, I look forward to my run tomorrow.